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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Live Review: The Last Shadow Puppets @ Webster Hall

Almost a decade after their 2007 debut, The Last Shadow Puppets returned to New York and showed that distance in both space and time does make the heart grow fonder. The band, who are on a small East Coast tour before they head to Coachella this weekend performed to a sold-out Webster Hall and proved that it was worth the wait to see them.

Thanks to the festival season and the release of their new album, their first in nine years, Everything You Have Come to Expect, the band made up of Miles Kane and Arctic Monkey's front man Alex Turner brought over some touring musicians and a string ensemble to join them on this tour and make it a good excuse to give something back to the fans.

Hitting the stage just after 10 p.m., the room, which was packed like sardines in a tin can were eagerly waiting for the band to arrive. As Kane came out dressed like he just came from a South Beach club and Turner, who got the most applause, looked like he raided Kanye's closet, opened with "Aviation" off their new record and straight away had the audiences attention. Mixing in songs from both records perfectly, the fans were ecstatic from start to finish.

What was obvious from the get-go, is that the band, which started as a side project for both Kane and Turner, is clearly the most fun they have as musicians and as friends. It is an opportunity for them to let loose. While the Arctic Monkeys are one of the biggest rock bands in the world and Kane, a respected musician back in the UK, this is an opportunity to break the mold and not be as serious. With choreographed dance routines and fancy footwork, the duo seemed to have a blast together.

As they ripped through songs like "The Age of Understatement," "Element of Surprise, "Dracula Teeth," "My Mistakes Were Made For You" and "Bad Habits," their seeming never ending set took a sharper turn when they covered The Beatles' "I Want You" and "She's So Heavy." It was clear from their first album nearly a decade ago that the Fab Four had a profound impact on them and now they acted on it by paying homage to the best.

As the clock came closer to midnight, they bid farewell making fans hope it doesn't take another nine years to return.